Ohio State's 2015 senior class has a chance to win its 50th game over a four-year period New Year's Day in the Fiesta Bowl against Notre Dame. Before kickoff in their final collegiate game, Eleven Warriors will take a brief look back at each player's time in Columbus.
WHERE HE'S FROM
Jeff Greene came to Ohio State after a two-year stint at Georgia Tech. He's from Peachtree, Georgia, originally and caught 18 passes for 284 yards and two touchdowns for the Yellow Jackets.
As a 6-foot-5, 220-pound wide receiver, Greene was often left frustrated playing in Georgia Tech's run first, option-heavy offense.
"I was the leading receiver with 18 catches, it was frustrating at times," Greene said in spring 2013. "I just felt like it wasn’t for me."
Instead, Greene elected to try and get to Ohio to be closer to his father, Jeff Sr., who is a personal trainer in Dayton. Greene began to get recruited by a few schools, including the University of Cincinnati, who could offer him a scholarship. At the time, Ohio State sat amid an NCAA mandated scholarship reduction, but Urban Meyer convinced Greene to join the scarlet and gray.
He remains a walk-on within the program, but we felt he deserved his own Fight To The End piece because his story is an interesting one.
Meyer sold Greene on the chance to help a depleted wide receivers unit, so he signed the papers and ended up in Columbus. Greene said his father hasn't missed a game since he came to Ohio State.
"Even though I have to sit out a year I can come in and help out, run the scout team and get bigger and faster so when it is my time I’ll be ready," Greene said after he transferred.
TOP MOMENTS
Greene's lone catch in 2015 came during a 49-7 blowout victory at Rutgers, where he leapt over a defender to reel in the pass from Cardale Jones in the fourth quarter. He also had a 13-yard grab against Illinois last year.
The senior blocked well on the edge in the game against the Scarlet Knights for the Buckeyes, something Meyer and the offensive staff had clearly been searching for after the departure of Evan Spencer and early season injury to Parris Campbell. Having someone out there that could seal the edge for the running game is crucial to the success of Ohio State's offense.
Greene has also been a vital player on special teams in his time at Ohio State. With his lengthy frame, he started on three units this season including the field goal and punt block team, a guy Meyer can turn to in order to ensure the group has the best chance to get its hand on a ball.
During Sugar Bowl practice last season, Greene also played the role of Alabama star wide receiver and Heisman Trophy finalist Amari Cooper in practice. It was his job to push and shove his way to receptions any way he could, with the hope to simulate how Cooper "catches everything."
The Buckeyes held the Biletnikoff Award winner mostly in check during their Sugar Bowl victory, holding him to just 71 yards receiving — more than 50 below his average.
OVERARCHING CONTRIBUTION TO THE PROGRAM
Greene leaves Ohio State with a Big Ten and national championship ring just like the rest of the seniors, so he can't really look back and wonder if he made the right decision or not to spurn the other schools for the Buckeyes.
"I would never regret it. It's an opportunity that I was allowed to be in, a great opportunity," Greene said Nov. 9. "We were blessed to win a championship game and I just learned about myself not just from a football aspect from outside football. It's helped a lot."
Greene said it was partly in his mind while he was at Georgia Tech to hopefully grow into a wide receiver like former Yellow Jacket greats and current NFL stars Calvin Johnson and Demaryius Thomas, who both went there. Plus, it was close to where he grew up.
After playing there for a bit, though, Greene realized he wanted to make his own path. He did that and contributed plenty at Ohio State.
"Everybody wants to play their position, but people don't really notice the heart and what it takes to be on special teams," Greene said. "You can be an average team with bad special teams, but up here we have great ones so it means more when we start playing games."
WHERE HE'S HEADED
Greene spent the last two summers as an intern with IMG Sports, the national sports marketing firm. With his major of sports industry, it appears a career as a sports agent or as some sort of athletic administrator is in his future.
It's unlikely an NFL team will take a chance on him due to a lack of tape available to scouts, but Greene seems like someone with a directive in mind for the next step in his life.
MORE GREENE
- The Jeff Greene Story, from May 2013
- Jeff Greene Playing the Amari Cooper Role in Sugar Bowl Practice
- Jeff Greene Poses as J.T. Barrett for Photo with Fan
- Jeff Greene Discusses his Role on Special Teams
